The unofficial AFC Rushden & Diamonds messageboard

Personally I think Mr Khan should be told what he can khan do with his offer.

The only scenario in which I could countenance accepting such a offer is for the FA to give £50k to every club in Steps 1-4 for improving ground facilities or installing 3G pitches, not to be used to sign players, although of course it would ease playing budgets. Every club would be obliged to provide evidence of where the money went. Of course the EFL would then also have to accept clubs with 3G pitches which they don't at present.

Sort of on the same subject, but Olney Town have folded. Maybe that extra £50,000 could of kept them going for a few more years!

The Godfather wrote: ↑Mon Apr 30, 2018 3:53 pm Sort of on the same subject, but Olney Town have folded. Maybe that extra £50,000 could of kept them going for a few more years!

The problem with Olney Town is they played on a designated public park. Even the pitchside barrier was made to be taken down each summer. My local village team suffered the same fate in 2002 after achieving promotion from UCL Division 1 but departed the village recreation ground, and duly folded, because they were denied permission to fully enclose the ground.

That is one of the reasons I suggested only down to Step 4 because so many Step 5 and 6 clubs are even less than village clubs, and I don't mean that disrespectfully, but so many are really only in existence it seems for the benefit of the players to have a kick about, like it I used to be in my sunday league teams days. Many are just council owned recreation grounds and any money for improvements should be funded by the councils, as they are the owners.

Only a few Step 5 clubs throughout the pyramid show any ambition to progress. The UCL is probably one of the few leagues where clubs are keen to progress. Good luck to Wisbech and Richard Bunting this week, two wins against Daventry and they will be Champions.

Even if the offer went through, we'd probably never see a penny of it, but all the FA Execs would have new cars, I'm sure.

Maybe it's because while I was growing up, national games were played all around the country, but I don't have a huge amount of fondness for Wembley. If it raises money to improve the game at grassroots and get more kids playing football I suppose I'd support the sale, but I doubt that would happen even if the FA said it would.

sussexdiamond wrote: ↑Mon Apr 30, 2018 7:59 pm That is one of the reasons I suggested only down to Step 4 because so many Step 5 and 6 clubs are even less than village clubs, and I don't mean that disrespectfully, but so many are really only in existence it seems for the benefit of the players to have a kick about, like it I used to be in my sunday league teams days. Many are just council owned recreation grounds

Oh how quickly you forget, and are being a bit dense. Hayden Road is after all a Step 6 ground. Olney is the only ground in the UCL that has these issues, forced upon them by the FA.

Contender for most ill-informed post if the season.

SouthRushdenJFC wrote: ↑Tue May 01, 2018 11:33 am

sussexdiamond wrote: ↑Mon Apr 30, 2018 7:59 pm That is one of the reasons I suggested only down to Step 4 because so many Step 5 and 6 clubs are even less than village clubs, and I don't mean that disrespectfully, but so many are really only in existence it seems for the benefit of the players to have a kick about, like it I used to be in my sunday league teams days. Many are just council owned recreation grounds

Oh how quickly you forget, and are being a bit dense. Hayden Road is after all a Step 6 ground. Olney is the only ground in the UCL that has these issues, forced upon them by the FA.

Contender for most ill-informed post if the season.

Oooooh we are getting bitchy.

You will see from my full post that I am complimentary about the UCL but I have seen many grounds,particularly in Sussex, that are not much more than roped off recreation grounds at both Step 5 and 6. Many of those clubs would not know how or even be allowed to spend £50k on their ground.
And of course Hayden Road is now a Step 3 ground, which also hosts a Step 6 club.